Montana

The Be Helds

The Be Helds make the kind of
charming, eternally catchy garage-pop that seems ready-made for a campfire
sing-a-long. Sure, the chords are simple, and some of their tracks blend
together — but it’s pretty much impossible to listen to a song like “Just
Dreamin’” and not feel a sudden, overwhelming urge to
abandon all of your responsibilities, pitch a tent on a beach somewhere, and
stuff your face with s’mores until dawn. On the aforementioned track, the Be
Helds bury a foolproof melody and gang vocals under wall-of-sound production,
then top it off with a couple surf-y riffs and a too-cool-for-school attitude.
Last year, the Missoula
duo put out Vol. 1, a whole LP’s worth of short-and-sweet
jams fit for the fireside. Even though garage-pop seems to be everywhere right
now, it’s still obvious when a fresh-faced band get it right.